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Anyone who tries to tell you that eating vegan/vegetarian/plant-based is expensive is a liar. There, I said it. This is one of those myths that makes me so mad – I am not sure who started this, but it couldn’t be any further from the truth. Eating organic? Yes, that will be a bit more expensive than usual. Eating vegan? Nope.

To prove to you how cheap eating vegan is, I’ve compiled a list of 10 super cheap plant-based products. Truth be told, these items will make up a lot of your meals, anyways. Sure, you get creative and add spices, other veggies, etc., but still. Those on a budget will be able to afford the below (way cheaper than meat and cheese) and make awesome meals. And the best part – these are pantry staples, vegan or not. There’s nothing on this list that will be foreign or unfamiliar, promise!Continue reading →

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Ever since I can remember, I have always been a saver. I owe that all to my parents. They were both very clear about saving money and helped get me started when I was as young as maybe 10 or 12 years old. I got my first job when I was 13 and yes, I loved spending money on clothes and make-up and jewelry and movies and CDs like any other teen girl, but I was always equally as conscious about checking my balances and managing my checkbook. Yes, I still to this day use a checkbook, haha! My husband laughs at me and thinks I am crazy but whatever… I am old school like that and and it really helps keep me on track.

Needless to say, my money-saving and budgeting habits began to rub off on Joe (thankfully) and we’ve be even more conscious lately with baby girl on the way.

There are some days when I say to myself “oh we totally got this, it’s all gonna be great” and then some days when I wake up frazzled and freaking out over saving more more more. Life is going to drastically change and money will be tighter than ever – there is no doubt in my mind – but I am trying my best to focus on the good and know that everything will work out. We will find a way to make things work. We have to!

In an effort to save more money before September, I’ve been a lot more conscious of what we are buying, how we are buying, and non-essentials we can forgo. Whether you are also preparing for a major life change (that will affect your budget) or want to just save a little more, I hope some of these tips inspire you. These are just some of the personal ways we are saving here and there. Nothing too crazy, just things that have been working for us.

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I haven’t done a post about what I’m loving in a while! Since everything revolves around baby these days, I wanted to share some of the products that I am most excited about using once she arrives. There’s so much on the market, but these all caught my eye. I cannot wait!Continue reading →

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More budget and money-saving tips! I love reading posts like this, so I hope you can appreciate.

In the past, I’ve shared my $50 vegan shopping list for Trader Joe’s. As we’re trying to save more and more for baby girl on the way, we’ve opted to buy more from PriceRite. Do you have a PriceRite near you? I believe it’s a New England (or maybe just upper East Coast?) chain but oh man, it is SO INEXPENSIVE AND CHEAP! And cheap does not mean poor quality in this case, because the fruit and veggies are awesome here, as well as other name brand products. One of the ways that PriceRite keeps it costs down is the fact that you need to bring your own bags, so don’t forget yours (if you do, they are only 10 cents a bag).

I’ve been so impressed with our shopping habits these days that I wanted to share what a week’s worth of vegan/plant-based food from PriceRite looks like for under $50. I hope it helps! I love having proof that eating vegan/plant-based does not mean expensive. You can still be frugal and eat like a queen (or king). ;)Continue reading →

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Another thrifting post! I can’t stop myself. A little over a month ago, there was a huuuuge consignment sale just 7 minutes from us. I found out that this happens twice a year (April and September) and it’s basically my new favorite thing to look forward to. Everything from clothes to toys to gear… on and on and on. I’ll admit – some things are questionable. I’m a cautious thrifter and only gravitate towards certain items (things that can be easily washed). But I made out well, and I’ll be visiting twice every year from here on out!

The volunteers were so sweet and the atmosphere was pleasant… prices low, clothes clean, and everything was just clean in general. I was so impressed.

And as usual the best part – save a little money, recycle beautiful items that have been gently used, and donate when you are done. I love it.

So, here are some of the items I recommend grabbing. These items are easy to wash, sterilize, and make your own. Once you do that, you’ll breathe new life into them and will forget you even bought secondhand!Continue reading →

Still hungry as ever, and still trying my best to eat well. It’s definitely hard some days. Some of my more recent cravings have been bagels/toast with tofutti and cream cheese (still), tomatoes in general, pickles, sour gummy candy, chunky peanut butter, salt and vinegar chips, and Del’s lemonade (local frozen lemonade). Definitely hitting all those cravings in the below photos.

As always, follow along on Instagram for more plant-based food inspiration.

Slowly but surely, we are chipping away at the nursery. This is probably what I have been looking the most forward to – I love decorating/redecorating in general, so a fresh new space to be filled is a dream. It’s hard to imagine what it will look like when half the furniture isn’t in yet and I’ve been just picking up pieces here and there that stick out to me. So, I thought it would be fun (and helpful for me) to lay out some of the items we’ve gotten so far and some that we will be getting. I’m a visual person and happen to love mood boards in general.

People keep asking what the nursery theme is and honestly… I am not quite sure! I usually say it’s just a bright and airy space. Think wildflowers, fruits, pops of color, and animals of all kinds. I initially was thinking a jungle theme, but I love all animals and want to include any and all! As you can see – we got a sweet bunny, cat, AND white tiger above. I’m serious when I say any and all animals. Love.

So really, it is just going to be an eclectic/bohemian/natural type style. As long as it is bright, sunny, and colorful, I am happy.

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If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how deep my love runs for coconut oil. I’ve discussed it here before, and I stand by every word. So naturally, I turned to coconut oil during my pregnancy and researched ways that it could benefit me.

I know my body, and I know that I am prone to stretch marks. Honestly, I sprouted very quickly as a child (I was the tallest in my class in 3rd grade) and I have my fair share of (thankfully faded) stretch marks from sudden growth spurts/weight loss/gain/etc. So I really wanted to do my best to avoid them this pregnancy – as best as I could! I realize that stretch marks are inevitable for some people, but if there is anything I could do to minimize the risk, I’m game. Almost every woman I spoke to about their experience gave me the same answer: coconut oil.

Putting together a baby registry is no joke. It’s constantly a work in progress, and always changing (for me, anyway!) There are SO MANY PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET. I’ve spent so much time reading reviews, testing products in store, asking other moms for opinions, etc. Plus, there is always that little voice in my head saying, “remember… they are going to grow out of this stuff quickly.” This voice usually arrives when I am on Etsy or other specialty shops and want to basically buy out everything.

Plus – where do I register? Babies R Us like most moms? Target? Amazon? More researching! I ultimately settled on Amazon because Amazon can do no wrong in my eyes. It’s easy, has the largest selection, competitive pricing, easy 90-day returns, a completion discount, and buyers with a Prime account will be pleased – free shipping! The only downside/flaw I have with Amazon – well, two things. One, things go out of stock frequently and I have to constantly check to make sure everything is good to go. Second, sometimes listing go away completely and when you click on the item that vanished, it doesn’t tell you what it is! The only way I found I could get around this was to save all links/products to a Google Doc. If something goes missing, I can easily pinpoint what is missing. Sure, it took some time… but I’d rather know than wonder what the hell is gone from my registry.

I’m sure this is going to change a zillion times more before my actual shower, but I wanted to share some of the items I have on my registry. It will give you a good idea of what you may want for your own registry, or simply inspire you to look into a brand you may not have heard of. I looked at tons of sample registries while I was making my own, and loved seeing what other moms included on theirs.

Mine doesn’t include any furniture (or really any clothing) because most of that stuff my parents and in-laws are grabbing (and we’ve purchased some ourselves!) I know this kiddo is going to end up with a ton of clothes regardless of what I put on my registry, so I only included white onesie essentials. Plus, she’s basically set with 0-6 months worth of hand-me-downs!

So now that I’ve rambled on and on about this, without further adieu… some of my very favorite items on our registry (it’s not the whole thing, but gives you a pretty good idea!)Continue reading →

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You don’t have to be vegan or even vegetarian to eat more plants. No matter what your diet is, incorporating more leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables in your diet is going to ensure that you are getting all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your body needs to function healthily and properly. I mean, it doesn’t take a scientist to know that you put into your body will not only affect what is happening inside, but on the outside as well. Your skin, mood, and aura will be brighter – I found this out quickly after I transitioned into a plant-based diet.

Since then, I’ve cut out processed foods (except for the occasional treat), white sugar, and even have gone oil-free for a bit. I can assure you – I feel best when I eat a plate full of prepared vegetables. So today, I am sharing a few reasons why you should be eating more plants.Continue reading →

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